Using E-mobility as an Enabler for a Fast and Lean Product Development to Optimize the Return of Engineering with the Example of Lithium-ion Battery

As innovation cycles for new technology products accelerate, markets also demand more complex products with a highly individualized design. Particularly, electric cars represent this case and complexity is not only driven by product variants, but also by an increasing proportion and importance of software applications in value creation. However, the reference processes to develop these automotive products were established two decades ago. The reference process which is used by automotive OEMs is the integrated product and process development which bases on the concept of simultaneous engineering. In contrast to conventional cars with a combustion engine, product architectures for electric vehicles can be planned differently with the lithium-ion battery as the central and most expensive component and can be designed with more degrees of freedom. Such a product architecture can also be simplified that complexity is reduced for both, the product and the development process. Changes in terms of product architecture also imply that there are changes in the technological knowledge of the automotive OEM. It must focus on key technologies. Consequently, suppliers have got the chance to advance from suppliers, who produce products on demand, to technological experts, who provide technology platforms. The development process, moreover, has to evolve from typical stage-gate-concepts to a more agile process tailored to suit continuously changing requirements to fulfil the demand for a fast product qualification for series production. So, even shorter innovation cycles and time-to-market periods can be reached. Certainly, this has an effect on financial aspects with the objective to design the organisational process as lean as possible. Finally, the more agile process design serves an optimised ratio between engineering expenses and customer value – called Return on Engineering. It is the central paradigm to which process design and methods for product development need to adhere.